Have you ever wondered why some people seem able to stick to their goals while others give up? New research from India reveals a fascinating link between your childhood and a trait known as 'grit' – a combination of passion and perseverance that helps you to achieve long-term goals.

Previous research has consistently shown that adverse childhood experiences have negative effects on grit levels in young adults. However, researchers have been uncertain about exactly how childhood shapes grit – what's the mechanism connecting these experiences to adult perseverance?

Researchers surveyed 548 English-speaking Generation Z young adults in India (average age 20) using self-report questionnaires. The study examined both adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) – negative events before age 18, including abuse, neglect, and household challenges like parental separation or domestic violence – and benevolent childhood experiences (BCEs) – positive experiences such as feeling safe, having a caregiver to confide in, and receiving comfort and support. Participants also completed measures of their grit levels and emotional regulation abilities.

The results were striking. Both difficult and supportive childhoods affected grit levels, but here's the twist – this relationship worked entirely through emotional regulation. Young adults who reported more adverse childhood experiences showed lower levels of grit and emotional regulation. Conversely, those who reported more benevolent childhood experiences demonstrated higher levels of both qualities. Using structural equation modelling, researchers discovered that emotional regulation fully mediated these relationships. Think of emotional regulation as the bridge connecting your past to your perseverance – a difficult childhood appears to diminish grit primarily by damaging emotional management skills, while a supportive childhood builds grit by enhancing these same skills.

Reference: Jadhav, B. N., Abdul Azeez, E. P., Sharma, J., Yadav, A., Athreya, V. S., & Mathew, M. (2025). The Association of Adverse and Benevolent Childhood Experiences with Grit Among Gen Z: The Mediating Role of Emotional Regulation. Psychological Reports, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/003329... (accessed 21.10.25)

ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS!

1. Explain the extent to which the findings from this study can be generalised to other populations.
2. Explain one strength and one limitation of using self-report questionnaires to measure adverse childhood experiences in this study.
3. Write an appropriate hypothesis for the relationship between adverse childhood experiences (measured by the Adverse Childhood Experience Questionnaire) and emotional regulation (measured by the Schutte Self-Report Emotional Intelligence Test). Justify your choice of hypothesis type.
4. The researchers cannot say that benevolent childhood experiences cause higher levels of grit. Explain why.
5. Outline one practical application that could be implemented as a result of this research.